The Lucy Mills Chronicles: Welcome to the New
by tmpayne80
Summary: With the past laid to rest, Lucy finds herself as Ian's solitary friend. Things are changing. Will a new year bring about the strangest change of all? (No copyright infringement intended.)
1. Chapter 1

What a difference an afternoon makes!

Maybe Granny's Diner had been secretly magical.

It doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. Ian and I had found common ground there. Other unexpected changes followed us both. The "Herd" had done him a huge favor excluding him from their usual social gatherings. The idiots bragged about the number of beers one of them had downed before stumbling into a trash can on the property.

Embarrassing!

"I promise, Lucy, you're missing out on anything. One of these days somebody will be arrested, dead, or expecting a baby." Ian whispered across the table as he took the booth seat opposite me.

His letterman jacket had been strangely absent since our afternoon at Granny's. At first, I had thought that maybe he'd just forgotten it when he came to school. The consecutive days of it being nowhere near him banished that idea.

"Where's your jacket? If you don't mind me asking."

Ian unscrewed the lid of his juice.

"In my closet, at home. It isn't who I am, not anymore. I don't want to be that person ever again."

I studied the mashed potatoes my tray to hide the guilt on my face. His answer hadn't been what I'd expected to get. How could I not feel guilty for expecting something that would be more selfish, self-absorbed rather than selfless, reflective?

"Killian found an old Pea coat on the Jolly Roger. It fit me, and he gave it to me as a gift." Ian's tone brightened. "I like it so much better, now that the weather is getting colder."

The change of subject pulled my eyes back to him.

"Killian and the Jolly Roger are growing on you, admit it?"

Ian chuckled.

"Yes, to both. There's just something about somebody else teaching me the same stuff that dad has tortured me with. I feel bad for how much faster I am learning with Killian than my dad, know what I mean?"

I understood Ian's guilt and appreciation for outside counsel. My main voices of reason hadn't been my mom and dad. Ever since I turned 13, it had become Killian and Emma. Yes, mom and dad always find a way to make time for my problems, but the discussion in my head always sent me to the two people who knew more about me than my own dad.

"I prefer to talk to Killian and Emma about most things. It isn't that I don't love mom and dad. Emma and Killian always help me find clarity when I need it. I wish I could explain why. I understand better than you know."

For a second, our laughter stopped, and the way Ian looked into my eyes paralyzed me in the best way. My heart raced, my mind stumbled to a stop, and the loud lunch room of teenagers vanished.

The intentional nudge of a passing "Herd" member broke the spell. The smirk of satisfaction and the high five of his buddies had left me with that conclusion. Ian closed his eyes, grunted, and then turned his attention back to me.

"I was going to just store it in the attic, but a bonfire for it is sounding better." Ian mumbled under his breath.

I touched his wrist to capture his attention.

His hand rested on mine, rubbing his thumb across my knuckle.

"I can't believe that I ever hung around with them. They don't know what they're missing out on. I don't miss them. I got you and Killian."

The heat travelled from my neck to the crown of my head.

Ian closed the distance between us by leaning in

"Lucy, you are AMAZING. Killian and Emma know it. I know it. Believe it."

Ian moved his hand to pick up his mostly uneaten lunch.

My tight grip on the tray hid the slight tremble of my hands.

I still hadn't found the desired words piling up in my head to respond with while we followed the line of students headed for the tray window.

"I'll see you at the Jolly Roger after school." Ian whispered in my ear as I slammed my tray clean.

Speechless, I smiled back at him.

The invasive bell reminded me that my day had only been half over.

The idea of being at the Jolly Roger had become the highlight of my day long before Ian's presence in my life. The understanding that the added incentive of Ian being there had made me wish that the school day would end, faster than 2 hours.

The most frightening, yet exhilarating thought crawled from the back of my mind.

If Ian and I were only friends, why did time with him create the irrational need to speed up time?

Uh-oh! This couldn't be happening!

 _To be continued…_


	2. Chapter 2-The Conversation

Instead of dad at the curb waiting for me, I found Emma behind the wheel. Hope lay sound asleep, head back and mouth open. Gentle snores escaped her nose followed by the cutest smile once it had passed.

"Don't say it. I had to hear from Killian, too. I should be in bed not behind the wheel of a car." Emma leaned over to unlock the door.

I hadn't been thinking that when I'd seen her. The though crossed my mind after she'd said it.

I stepped into the passenger side door, huge smile on my face.

"Okaaaay…I'm always happy to see you, Emma."

Hope's eyes fluttered open when she'd heard my voice.

Emma glanced into her rearview mirror at an animated 7-year-old.

Emma held up her finger, a cue for Hope to wait to speak.

"I'm dropping you off at the piers. Snow is watching Liam and its almost feeding time again."

Hope's delighted grin turned into a sour face frown.

Emma turned around, using the best "Mommy-Loves-You" grin on Hope.

"Daddy asked for Lucy, Hope. Next time, he promised."

Hope shifted her eyes from me to Emma and back. Her smile returned after careful deliberation.

"If he promised, okay."

Emma and I listened to Hope jabber on and on about her recess adventures of first grade. Emma had kept her in the school in Storybrooke, rather than send her away. I never let her hear anything I'd wanted to keep quiet knowledge.

The girl can't keep a secret.

The secrets the rest of the world would know because of her outspoken tendencies.

The lines of the real world faded into the friendly confines of Storybrooke.

I turned when I'd noticed that Hope had gone silent.

Sound asleep again.

Emma resumed conversation, this time just us.

"You love it here."

I looked over to her and smiled.

"Yes, I do. Don't get me wrong, I sometimes miss Hyperion Heights."

Emma's face communicated her unspoken "but".

"But…I love Storybrooke more."

Emma's peripherals fell on me.

"Storybrooke has that effect, doesn't it?"

Maybe it hadn't been Storybrooke itself, but the people in it.

A certain athlete had added to its charm.

Oh no, there I go again.

"How many people can say that they've been aboard a real pirate ship with an actual pirate? I have a magical grandmother and an ageless pirate for a grandfather."

The scrunch of Emma's nose sent my words back in to my ears.

"Aren't you leaving out someone?"

Ian.

It happened again.

Time to come up with other names.

"Hope, Snow, Charming, Granny?"

Emma rolled to a stop and turned to me.

"You know who I'm talking about. I might not be a teenager anymore, but I know that expression whenever you're around him."

I'd never noticed Emma onboard whenever we had been working on the Jolly Roger. Had I missed her while I'd been lost in conversation with Ian?

Emma crossed her arms, her pinky tapping.

"You like him…a lot."

Yes, I do, my mind shouted.

"We're good friends." I answered.

Flimsy lie, directed at myself.

Emma put her hand on my shoulder.

"I know that look. Killian and I still look at each other that way. Ian looks at you the same way that Killian has looked at me after our first kiss. Don't try telling me that bad line."

She gaged me through squinting eyes.

"Too soon to call it love yet, but not too soon for it to preoccupying attraction. Confusing isn't it?"

She'd extracted my thoughts and had thrown them back at me, with the impact of a fast-moving comet.

"No, I know I'm not in love. I think I'm too young to know what that looks or feels like. Yes, he's taken over a lot of my thoughts these days."

Deep breath in and deep breath out.

"He hasn't even asked me out or tried to kiss me yet. He had me frazzled after lunch today, I wanted the day to come to the quickest possible end, all to just spend time with Ian."

Emma's hand returned to the steering wheel.

She'd done it again. Clarity had come.

"The problem isn't him...it's me. A part of me is holding him at Friend Zone length. The other wants to pull him closer. How is it possible to feel two different ways at the same time?"

Emma smiled, touched my face.

"I've been there. Of course, you already know that. It took time for me to trust myself with Killian without second guessing myself. Trust your heart, kiddo. Your head is the ultimate hijacker of opportunities. Don't let it this chance pass you up, he's worth the chance."

Killian knocked on the window. I hadn't seen or heard him approach the car.

"Speaking of Killian."

Emma rolled down the window, a glow in her complexion and a shine in her eyes.

Killian answered her enthusiasm with a medium length, heartfelt kiss.

"Thank you, Love."

"Thank you for letting me. I needed to get out."

Hope's eyes flew open when she'd heard that all too familiar Irish lilt.

"Daddy!"

If there had been anyone he'd love as much as Emma, it had been his daughter.

"She wanted to go on the ship today. I told her you promised to do it next time."

Killian looked over to his daughter.

"Next time, darling. I promise."

Hope beamed back at him and clapped her hands.

If I hadn't been absorbed in their interaction, I would've noticed my own visitor at the passenger side door.

Ian's eyes looked back at mine as I had turned to open the door.

My door swung open, Ian holding the handle.

"Ian, my lovely wife Emma. Emma, my new second mate of the Jolly Roger, Ian."

Ian stood frozen in place with the introduction, as well as unexpected promotion.

"Ian, my boy, I haven't seen Her look this good in…a long time. It's all due to your efforts." Killian put his good arm around his shoulders.

During this time, I stepped out of the car and unexpected under Ian's other arm.

"You should thank Lucy, too. I got it done faster with her."

Killian and Emma traded that "Dang-We're-Good" glances.

Killian lifted his eye brow and bowed.

"Then thank you Lucy love."

My turn to be embarrassed.

Emma looked at her watch, her eyes widened.

"Look at the time. Liam will be wailing when I get in the door. When it's time to eat, I better be on time."

Killian kissed Emma good bye and blew a kiss to Hope.

Emma drove away a massive smirk of satisfaction on her face, possibly a triumphant giggle.

Killian had dropped his arm to his side, but Ian continued to rest his arm on my shoulders.

"Did I interrupt something?"

Automatic stiffen, the guilty reaction to an interrupted conversation you'd rather lie about.

Killian looked down at his boots, a stupid grin on his face.

"Not really. Just catching up."

The transfer of body heat passed from his arm to material of my jacket. I unbuttoned the top button to let some of it out.

Killian started down the ramp ahead of us.

"Shall we, mates."

Ian stood an extra second, admiring Killian.

"He's a lucky man. He has a beautiful wife and two cute kids. He has a beautiful niece. One day I hope to be as lucky. I'd love them as much as he loves his family."

He dropped his arm and let me down the ramp first.

If only he'd known the full story of Emma and Killian, he'd rethink his words.

"Listen to me, I sound like such a sappy hopeless romantic."

His embarrassment slowed his walk to a stop.

I pointed to Killian, ahead of us.

"Hopeless romantics can be guys too. Look at Killian."

Killian awaited us on the dock in front of the Jolly Roger.

A half grin returned to Ian's face when he tilted his head over his right shoulder.

"In the words of Killian Jones, Lucy, Love, You're right."

Ian's attempted impression of Killian's accent hadn't been that far off.

Lucy. Love.

Two words from two different mouths.

One I'd become accustomed to.

The other sent every thought in my head racing in circles.

We both finished the journey with our hands jammed into our pockets.

Killian draped his hook arm around me and his hand arm around Ian.

"Ian, my boy. Lucy, love."

The sun hit his hook, robbing me of seaward peripherals.

Killian leaned inches from my ear.

"He fancies you, Lucy. I see it."

I smiled and boarded the Jolly Roger with Emma's and Killian's words looping through my head.


	3. Chapter 3 - The Invitation

The chilly fingers of the pre-winter wind whisped by, a shiver had followed. Even Killian had the collar of his leather jacket popped up to keep the wind off.

"We'll go into the hold. This news couldn't wait."

The hold hadn't been what I'd remembered it to be. The Jolly Roger may have looked like a novelty pirate ship from the outside with its rolled up white sails and 19th century riggings. The scene below the main deck contradicted the image from above.

Images from adventures past, I guessed, had been carved into the wooden surfaces of every table and cabinet. The careful details of the craftsman behind the work captured the attention of the viewer.

Me.

"Does Emma know about this?"

Killian averted his eyes to the floor, his laugh lines formed deep dimples on each side.

"It's a Happy Endings Day gift to my Emma."

Happy Ending's Day?

Something new?

Ian's expression alternated between lost and surprised.

"Queen…Regina…decreed February 12th to be Happy Endings Day."

My grandmother, the Good Queen, had always been full of surprises. I'd heard that not all of them had been good, but this one had been one of her most popular.

Ian looked at me as if I was supposed to know about it.

I shrugged.

"What's Happy Endings Day?"

Killian gestured for us to take a seat in the newly formed dining area.

"For all of us that had endured too many evil curses, the good curse that united the realms had been the best thing to happen to us. Happy Endings Day is, for those of us who remember life before the good curse, the call to embrace the things we value most in life. We also remember those that never had the chance to see theirs."

It made sense.

An oil painting of Emma in a red dress waltzing with Killian adorned the wall in the small bedroom. Killian's eyes misted over, I noticed even if Ian hadn't.

"For me…I am married to my happy ending."

Killian's admiration hadn't left the painting.

"My Emma has gave me a beautiful daughter, Hope, with the love of the water in her blood. She gave me Liam, the son I'd never thought I'd have."

He wiped his eyes with his hand and opened his arms wide.

"Of course, the Jolly Roger, that I've lost and regained too many times to count."

His gaze travelled past me to Ian, as if a silent, inside conversation had already been going between them.

"A man can go crazy searching for the happy ending he desires. I'd thought I had it and then it disappeared again. For a time, I chose another pursuit to fill that whole inside my heart. Then I met Emma and she changed me for the best. She captured me when she kissed me in the Neverland forest. My heart refused to let go of her, even with another man fighting for the same thing. My endless pursuit of her, even now as her husband, has taken us places we never imagined ourselves being."

Ian leaned forward in rapt attention of Killian's story.

"You see, Ian, my boy, that painting is an event I'll never forget. My Emma is the happy ending I would chase again and again. She makes those years of pursuing my happy ending worth it, every day I'm with her."

Emma had told me portions of the narrative that Killian had shared with Ian.

Ian suddenly looked down at his fingers, as if counting out something.

"Then how old is my dad then? If you're over two hundred, he must be about100?"

Killian chuckled.

"Try about 200…give or take. I'm about 300. He never told you?"

Ian sat next to me, stunned into silence.

"No. He's old enough to be…."

Killian looked at me and then to Ian.

"Your grandfather many times over, my boy. Still, he's your father. Interesting, to think of it, I'm old enough to be Emma's grandfather many times over."

The combination of logic and the image it formed in my mind produced an inward cringe.

Ian had been lost in his counting when the thought had created an outward cringe, only the sound of the ships gentle rocking broke the awkward silence of the cabin.

"ABOUT Happy Endings Day…"

Attention landed on me, both them staring back at me expecting an answer, I guess.

"My happy ending…THAT happy ending, yes."

One forgets about certain things, if given enough time and the chance to adjust. That had been one of those neglected trains of thought.

"Welllll…"

I considered my next words with abnormal care, present company made it that way.

"I had my family again, after years of just having my mom. Now I have a baby brother on the way and…"

Say it, my mind pleaded in, like a toddler in pre-temper tantrum mode.

I can't. Don't ask me to. I just can't.

Yes, you can. You just won't, my conscience countered with an accurate rebuttal.

Two sets of eyes staring at me, obviously expecting me to add to it.

"I found friendship with one of the most talented people I've ever met."

It had been the truth…and a lie, all that the same time.

Killian's forced, faked "We-Need-To-Talk" smiles bore through me.

"As for Happy Endings Day, Emma and I would be honored to share it with the two of you."

In all this talk about happy endings, I hadn't expected the invitation of a lifetime.

Pirate ship and open water.

How could I pass it up?

"I accept."

Ian looked through me and then put on a soft smile.

He'd avoided eye contact with me and fixed it on Killian.

"No way I would miss it for the world. Sea breeze and the best company a guy could have."

Killian spread out his arms, his fingers pointing to each wall.

"You have to promise to not tell Emma about…this."

A small glimpse of humor escaped Ian.

"We have no idea what you're talking about, right Lucy?"

I nodded in agreement.

The deck creaked below Killian as he stood up.

"Thank you, my boy."

"Thank you, Lucy love."

Ian's head bent to the opened hatch.

A loud whistle, different from the blowing wind, floated on the wind.

"That's dad. Thank you, Killian, I look forward to it."

Ian stood up and shook Killian's hand without so much as a glance at me.

With that uncharacteristic silence, Ian left Killian and I to carry on the conversation I'd known was coming.

Ian's footsteps faded to silence once the hollow, heavy sound disappeared.

Killian filled the seat that Ian had been in.

He rubbed his chin and shook his head

"You hurt him, bad."

Killian paused before taking my hand.

"I know how it feels to be rejected in such an outright way. Emma had done it to me for a very long time before she'd appreciated my efforts."

I hadn't rejected him, on purpose.

Not the case at all. I'd decided to not admit to how he'd made me feel every time he's near me. That's not rejection. It's a stall tactic.

Killian's tone softened when he'd taken my chin in his hand.

"Ian's reaction to your words might have fooled you, but I know better. Ian is chasing after you much the way I chased after Emma. Don't make him chase you for long, he might not fight as hard for you as I did for Emma."

His words carried a dual message, a warning and gentle correction.

"I chased her through Neverland, time, darkness, hell, and up two beanstalks. Ian shouldn't have to go that far to win you. You just might lose him."

The honest empathy for Ian's predicament broke through my insecurities and into my conscience.

"Love you, Killian. I think I heard dad's car horn." I excused myself.

Killian kissed my forehead and let go of my hand.

He pulled me close to his side in his best "Granddaughter Side Hug.".

"I love you too, Lucy. A man, no matter his age, can only chase a woman for so long before his will to keep trying gives out. Just trust me. You don't want that kind of regret to live with."

I kissed Killian's cheek and headed for the exit with his warning roaring through my head.

How to tell Ian the sentence I'd meant to say, I didn't know.

If Killian had been right and Ian's patience had been running low, time was no longer an ally, but my enemy.


End file.
